A03702 Summary:
BILL NO | A03702A |
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SAME AS | No Same As |
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SPONSOR | Moya |
  | |
COSPNSR | Mosley, Crespo, Pichardo, Blake, Fahy |
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MLTSPNSR | |
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Amd Gen Bus L, generally | |
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Relates to employment agencies, including application for license; relates to procedures; relates to granting of licenses and enforcement of provisions relating thereto. |
A03702 Actions:
BILL NO | A03702A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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01/27/2015 | referred to consumer affairs and protection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/12/2015 | reported referred to codes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/19/2015 | reported | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/21/2015 | advanced to third reading cal.411 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2015 | passed assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2015 | delivered to senate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2015 | REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
01/06/2016 | DIED IN SENATE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
01/06/2016 | RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
01/06/2016 | ordered to third reading cal.158 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
01/25/2016 | amended on third reading 3702a |
A03702 Committee Votes:
Go to topA03702 Floor Votes:
Yes
Abbate
No
Corwin
Yes
Goodell
Yes
Lupardo
Yes
Paulin
Yes
Silver
Yes
Abinanti
ER
Crespo
Yes
Gottfried
Yes
Lupinacci
Yes
Peoples-Stokes
Yes
Simanowitz
ER
Arroyo
Yes
Crouch
Yes
Graf
Yes
Magee
Yes
Perry
Yes
Simon
Yes
Aubry
Yes
Curran
Yes
Gunther
Yes
Magnarelli
Yes
Persaud
Yes
Simotas
Yes
Barclay
Yes
Cusick
Yes
Hawley
Yes
Malliotakis
Yes
Pichardo
Yes
Skartados
Yes
Barrett
Yes
Cymbrowitz
Yes
Hevesi
Yes
Markey
Yes
Pretlow
Yes
Skoufis
Yes
Barron
Yes
Davila
Yes
Hikind
Yes
Mayer
Yes
Quart
Yes
Solages
Yes
Benedetto
Yes
DenDekker
Yes
Hooper
Yes
McDonald
Yes
Ra
Yes
Stec
Yes
Bichotte
Yes
Dilan
Yes
Jaffee
No
McDonough
Yes
Raia
Yes
Steck
Yes
Blake
Yes
Dinowitz
Yes
Jean-Pierre
No
McKevitt
Yes
Ramos
Yes
Stirpe
Yes
Blankenbush
No
DiPietro
Yes
Johns
Yes
McLaughlin
Yes
Richardson
Yes
Tedisco
Yes
Borelli
Yes
Duprey
Yes
Joyner
Yes
Miller
ER
Rivera
No
Tenney
Yes
Brabenec
Yes
Englebright
Yes
Kaminsky
Yes
Montesano
Yes
Roberts
Yes
Thiele
Yes
Braunstein
Yes
Fahy
No
Katz
Yes
Morelle
Yes
Robinson
Yes
Titone
Yes
Brennan
Yes
Farrell
Yes
Kavanagh
Yes
Mosley
Yes
Rodriguez
ER
Titus
Yes
Brindisi
Yes
Finch
Yes
Kearns
Yes
Moya
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Walker
Yes
Bronson
No
Fitzpatrick
Yes
Kim
No
Murray
Yes
Rozic
Yes
Walter
Yes
Brook-Krasny
No
Friend
Yes
Kolb
No
Nojay
Yes
Russell
Yes
Weinstein
Yes
Buchwald
Yes
Galef
Yes
Lalor
Yes
Nolan
Yes
Ryan
Yes
Weprin
Yes
Butler
Yes
Gantt
Yes
Lavine
Yes
Oaks
Yes
Saladino
Yes
Woerner
Yes
Cahill
Yes
Garbarino
No
Lawrence
Yes
O'Donnell
Yes
Santabarbara
Yes
Wozniak
Yes
Ceretto
Yes
Giglio
Yes
Lentol
Yes
Ortiz
Yes
Schimel
Yes
Wright
Yes
Clark
Yes
Gjonaj
Yes
Lifton
Yes
Otis
No
Schimminger
Yes
Zebrowski
Yes
Colton
Yes
Glick
Yes
Linares
Yes
Palmesano
Yes
Seawright
Yes
Mr. Speaker
Yes
Cook
Yes
Goldfeder
Yes
Lopez
Yes
Palumbo
Yes
Sepulveda
‡ Indicates voting via videoconference
A03702 Text:
Go to top STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3702--A Cal. No. 158 2015-2016 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 27, 2015 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MOYA, MOSLEY, CRESPO, PICHARDO, BLAKE, FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection -- advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to employment agencies The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 171 of the general business law is amended by 2 adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows: 3 12. "Bona fide order" means a written order from an employer directed 4 to an employment agency stating that the employer requests that the 5 employment agency refer one or more job applicants for a specific posi- 6 tion or positions within a specified and limited application period. An 7 employment agency must renew a bona fide order after forty-five days if 8 it intends to refer an applicant for the position described in such bona 9 fide order, and the employment agency must specify on the bona fide 10 order the name of the representative of the prospective employer who 11 authorized the renewal and the date on which the renewal was authorized. 12 The bona fide order shall also include a written statement setting forth 13 the terms and conditions of employment for the position described in the 14 order; such written statement shall include, at a minimum, the following 15 information: 16 a. the name of the employer, any "doing business as" names used by the 17 employer, the physical address of the employer's main office or princi- 18 pal place of business, and a mailing address if different, the telephone 19 number of the employer, plus such other information as the commissioner 20 deems material and necessary; 21 b. the place or places of employment; 22 c. the hours of work per day and number of days per week to be worked; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06774-08-6A. 3702--A 2 1 d. the rate or rates of pay and basis thereof, whether paid by the 2 hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or other, allowances, 3 if any, claimed as part of the minimum wage, including tip, meal, or 4 lodging allowances; 5 e. the circumstances under which the employee will be paid a premium 6 for working in excess of an established number of hours per day, week, 7 or month, or for working on designated nights, weekends, or holidays; 8 f. the anticipated period of employment; 9 g. any provision to the employee, and how long the provision will be 10 provided by the employer, and any costs to the employee associated with 11 the provision, including but not limited to, transportation to and from 12 work, housing, health insurance or health care, paid sick or annual 13 leave and holiday or holidays, pension or retirement benefits, personal 14 protective equipment required for work, workers' compensation and infor- 15 mation about the insurance policy and rules regarding reporting of acci- 16 dents or injuries, and unemployment compensation; and 17 h. the nature of the work to be performed by the employee. 18 § 2. Paragraph b of subdivision 2 of section 173 of the general busi- 19 ness law, as added by chapter 632 of the laws of 1975, is amended to 20 read as follows: 21 b. The application for a license shall be accompanied by samples or 22 accurate facsimiles of each and every form [which the applicant for a23license will require applicants for employment to execute], contract, 24 statement of terms and conditions, and receipt, as required under 25 section one hundred eighty-one of this article, and such forms, 26 contracts, statements of terms and conditions, and receipts must be 27 approved by the commissioner before a license may be issued. The commis- 28 sioner shall approve any such forms which fairly and clearly represent 29 contractual terms and conditions between the proposed employment agency 30 and applicants for employment, such as are permitted by this article. 31 § 3. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 174 of the general business law, 32 subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 164 of the laws of 2003, subdivision 33 2 as amended by chapter 632 of the laws of 1975, are amended to read as 34 follows: 35 1. Upon the receipt of an application for a license, the commissioner 36 shall cause the name and address of the applicant, the name under which 37 the employment agency is to be conducted, and the street and number of 38 the place where the agency is to be conducted, to be posted on the 39 commissioner's website, as well as in a conspicuous place in his public 40 office. Such agency shall be used exclusively as an employment agency 41 and for no other purpose, except as hereinafter provided. The commis- 42 sioner shall investigate or cause to be investigated the character and 43 responsibility of the applicant and agency manager and shall examine or 44 cause to be examined the premises designated in such application as the 45 place in which it is proposed to conduct such agency. 46 The commissioner shall require all applicants for licenses and agency 47 managers to be fingerprinted. Such fingerprints shall be submitted to 48 the division of criminal justice services for a state criminal history 49 record check, as defined in subdivision one of section three thousand 50 thirty-five of the education law, and may be submitted to the federal 51 bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check. 52 The criminal history information, if any, received by the department of 53 labor shall be considered in accordance with the provisions of article 54 twenty-three-A of the correction law and subdivisions fifteen and 55 sixteen of section two hundred ninety-six of the executive law. A 56 reasonable time before making a determination on the application pursu-A. 3702--A 3 1 ant to this subdivision, the department shall provide the applicant 2 criminal history information, if any. Where such criminal history infor- 3 mation is provided, the department shall also provide a copy of article 4 twenty-three-A of the correction law, and inform such applicant of his 5 or her right to seek correction of any incorrect information contained 6 in such criminal history information pursuant to the regulations and 7 procedures established by the division of criminal justice services. 8 2. Any person may file, within one week after such application is so 9 posted [in the said office], a written protest against the issuance of 10 such license. Such protest shall be in writing and signed by the person 11 filing the same or his authorized agent or attorney, and shall state 12 reasons why the said license should not be granted. Upon the filing of 13 such protest the commissioner shall appoint a time and place for the 14 hearing of such application, and shall give at least five days' notice 15 of such time and place to the applicant and the person filing such 16 protest. The commissioner may administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and 17 take testimony in respect to the matters contained in such application 18 and protests or complaints of any character for violation of this arti- 19 cle, and may receive evidence in the form of affidavits pertaining to 20 such matters. If it shall appear upon such hearing or from the 21 inspection, examination or investigation made by the commissioner that 22 the applicant or agency manager is not a person of good character or 23 responsibility; or that he or the agency manager has not had at least 24 two years experience as a placement employee, vocational counsellor or 25 in related activities, or other satisfactory business experience which 26 similarly tend to establish the competence of such individual to direct 27 and operate the placement activities of the agency; or that the place 28 where such agency is to be conducted is not a suitable place therefor; 29 or that the applicant has not complied with the provisions of this arti- 30 cle; the said application shall be denied and a license shall not be 31 granted. Each application should be granted or refused within thirty 32 days from the date of its filing. 33 § 4. Section 179 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 34 632 of the laws of 1975, is amended to read as follows: 35 § 179. Registers and other records to be kept. It shall be the duty of 36 every licensed person to keep a register, approved by the commissioner, 37 in which shall be entered, in the English language, the date of the 38 application for employment, the date the applicant started work and the 39 name and address of every applicant from whom a fee or deposit is 40 charged, the amount of the fee or deposit and the service for which it 41 is received or charged. Such licensed person shall also enter in the 42 same or in a separate register, approved by the commissioner, in the 43 English language, the name and address of every employer from whom a fee 44 is received or charged or to whom the licensed person refers an appli- 45 cant who has paid or is charged a fee, the date of such employer's 46 request or assent that applicants be furnished, the kind of position for 47 which applicants are requested, the names of the applicants sent from 48 whom a fee or deposit is received or charged with the designation of the 49 one employed, the amount of the fee or deposit charged, and the rate of 50 salary or wages agreed upon. It shall also be the duty of every licensed 51 person to keep complete and accurate written records in the English 52 language of all receipts and income received or derived directly from 53 the operation of his employment agency, and to keep records concerning 54 [job] bona fide orders. No such licensed person, his agent or employees, 55 shall make any false entry in such records. It shall be the duty of 56 every licensed person to communicate orally or in writing with at leastA. 3702--A 4 1 one of the persons mentioned as references for every applicant for work 2 in private families, or employed in a fiduciary capacity, and the result 3 of such investigation shall be kept on file in such agency for a period 4 of at least three years. Every register and all records, including bona 5 fide orders, kept pursuant to the requirements of this article shall be 6 retained on the premises of the agency concerned for three years follow- 7 ing the date on which the last entry thereon was made [except a job8order which shall be retained for one year following the date on which9it was received]. 10 § 5. Section 181 of the general business law, as added by chapter 893 11 of the laws of 1958, subdivision 1 as added and subdivision 2 as amended 12 by chapter 632 of the laws of 1975, subdivision 3 as separately amended 13 by chapters 1010 and 1083 of the laws of 1960, and subdivision 4 as 14 amended by chapter 479 of the laws of 1963, is amended to read as 15 follows: 16 § 181. Contracts, statements of terms and conditions, and receipts. It 17 shall be the duty of every employment agency to give to each applicant 18 for employment: 19 1. A true copy of every contract executed between such agency and such 20 applicant, which shall have printed on it or attached to it a statement 21 setting forth in a clear and concise manner the provisions of sections 22 one hundred eighty-five, and one hundred eighty-six of this article. 23 2. [Information as to the name and address of the person to whom the24applicant is to apply for such employment, the kind of service to be25performed, the anticipated rate of wages or compensation, the agency's26fee for the applicant based on such anticipated wages or compensation,27whether such employment is permanent or temporary, the name and address28of the person authorizing the hiring of such applicant, and the cost of29transportation if the services are required outside of the city, town or30village where such agency is located. If the job is a conditionally31fee-paid job, the conditions under which the applicant will be required32to pay a fee shall be clearly set forth in a separate agreement in ten-33point type signed by the job applicant.] (a) An employment agency shall 34 issue a written statement of terms and conditions to each job applicant 35 on each occasion that the agency refers the applicant to a potential 36 employer. The written statement of terms and conditions shall be in 37 English and in the language identified by the applicant as the primary 38 language of such applicant. Every employment agency shall keep on file 39 in its principal place of business for a period of three years a copy of 40 each written statement of terms and conditions issued to each applicant 41 that is signed and dated by the applicant. The statement of terms and 42 conditions shall include, at a minimum, the following information: (i) 43 the name of the employer, any "doing business as" names used by the 44 employer, the physical address of the employer's main office or princi- 45 pal place of business, and a mailing address if different, the telephone 46 number of the employer, plus such other information as the commissioner 47 deems material and necessary; (ii) the place or places of employment; 48 (iii) the hours of work per day and number of days per week to be 49 worked; (iv) the rate or rates of pay and basis thereof, whether paid by 50 the hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or other, allow- 51 ances, if any, claimed as part of the minimum wage, including tip, meal, 52 or lodging allowances; (v) the circumstances under which the employee 53 will be paid a premium for working in excess of an established number of 54 hours per day, week, or month, or for working on designated nights, 55 weekends, or holidays; (vi) the anticipated period of employment; (vii) 56 any provision to the employee, and how long the provision will beA. 3702--A 5 1 provided by the employer, and any costs to the employee associated with 2 the provision, including but not limited to, transportation to and from 3 work, housing, health insurance or health care, paid sick or annual 4 leave and holiday or holidays, pension or retirement benefits, personal 5 protective equipment required for work, workers' compensation and infor- 6 mation about the insurance policy and rules regarding reporting of acci- 7 dents or injuries, and unemployment compensation; and (viii) the nature 8 of the work to be performed by the employee. 9 (b) The commissioner shall prepare templates that comply with the 10 requirements of paragraph (a) of this subdivision. Each such template 11 shall be dual-language, including English and one additional language. 12 The commissioner shall determine, in his or her discretion, which 13 languages to provide in addition to English, based on the size of the 14 New York state population that speaks each language and any other factor 15 that the commissioner shall deem relevant. All such templates shall be 16 made available to employment agencies in such manner as determined by 17 the commissioner. 18 (c) When a job applicant identifies as his or her primary language a 19 language for which a template is not available from the commissioner, 20 the employment agency shall comply with this subdivision by providing 21 that employee an English-language statement. 22 (d) An employment agency shall not be penalized for errors or omis- 23 sions in the non-English portions of any notice provided by the commis- 24 sioner. 25 3. [A receipt for any fee, deposit, consideration, or payment which26such agency receives from such applicant, which shall have printed or27written on it the name of the applicant, the name and address of the28employment agency, the date and amount of such fee, deposit, consider-29ation or payment or portion thereof for which the receipt is given, the30purpose for which it was paid, and the signature of the person receiving31such payment. If the applicant for employment has been recruited from32outside the state for domestic or household employment the receipt shall33have printed on it, or attached to it, a copy of section one hundred34eighty-four of this article.] Every employment agency shall keep on file 35 in its principal place of business for a period of three years a state- 36 ment, signed by the employer of every applicant whom the employment 37 agency has placed, indicating that the employer has read and understood 38 the statement of terms and conditions required by subdivision two of 39 this section and that the employer has received a copy of that state- 40 ment. 41 4. [The original or duplicate-original copy of each such contract and42receipt shall be retained by every employment agency for three years43following the date on which the contract is executed or the payment is44made, and shall be made available for inspection by the commissioner or45his duly authorized agent or inspector, upon his request. Notwithstand-46ing the other provisions of such contracts, the monetary consideration47to be paid by the applicant shall not exceed the fee ceiling provided in48subdivision eight of section one hundred eighty-five.] A receipt for any 49 fee, consideration, or payment which an agency receives from an appli- 50 cant. The receipt shall have printed or written on it the name of the 51 applicant, the name and address of the employment agency, the date and 52 amount of such fee, consideration or payment or portion thereof for 53 which the receipt is given, the purpose for which it was paid, and the 54 signature of the person receiving such payment. The receipt shall also 55 include immediately above the place for signature of the person receiv- 56 ing payment, set off in a box and printed in bold and in caps, theA. 3702--A 6 1 following statement: "An employment agency may not charge you, the job 2 applicant, a fee before referring you to a job that you accept. If you 3 pay a fee before accepting a job or pay a fee that otherwise violates 4 the law, you may demand a refund, which shall be repaid within seven (7) 5 days." The text contained in this box shall also be in English and in 6 the language identified by each applicant as the primary language of 7 such applicant. 8 5. The original or duplicate-original copy of each written contract, 9 each statement of terms and conditions required by subdivision two of 10 this section, and each receipt required by subdivision four of this 11 section shall be retained by every employment agency for three years 12 following the date on which the contract is executed. The records 13 required under this subdivision shall be made available for inspection 14 by the commissioner or his or her duly authorized agent or inspector, 15 upon such request. 16 § 6. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 185 of the general business law, 17 subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 460 of the laws of 2012 and subdivi- 18 sion 3 as amended by chapter 1010 of the laws of 1960, are amended and a 19 new subdivision 1-a is added to read as follows: 20 1. Circumstances permitting fee. An employment agency shall not charge 21 or accept a fee or other consideration unless in accordance with the 22 terms of a written contract with a job applicant[, except:23(a) for class "A" and "A-1" employment, and except] and after such 24 agency has been responsible for referring such job applicant to an 25 employer or such employer to a job applicant and where as a result ther- 26 eof such job applicant has been employed by such employer[; and27(b)], except for class "C" employment: [(i)] (a) after an agency has 28 been responsible for referring an artist to an employer or such employer 29 to an artist and where as a result thereof such artist has been employed 30 by such employer; or [(ii)] (b) after an agency represents an artist in 31 the negotiation or renegotiation of an original or pre-existing employ- 32 ment contract and where as a result thereof the artist enters into a 33 negotiated or renegotiated employment contract. For class "C" employment 34 pursuant to this paragraph, an employment agency shall provide an artist 35 with a statement setting forth in a clear and concise manner the 36 provisions of this section and section one hundred eighty-six of this 37 article. 38 The maximum fees provided for herein for all types of placements or 39 employment may be charged to the job applicant and a similar fee may be 40 charged to the employer provided, however, that with regard to place- 41 ments in class "B" employment, a fee of up to one and one-half times the 42 fee charged to the job applicant may be charged to the employer. By 43 agreement with an employment agency, the employer may voluntarily assume 44 payment of the job applicant's fee. The fees charged to employers by any 45 licensed person conducting an employment agency for rendering services 46 in connection with, or for providing employment in classes "A", "A-1" 47 and "B", as hereinafter defined in subdivision four of this section 48 where the applicant is not charged a fee shall be determined by agree- 49 ment between the employer and the employment agency. No fee shall be 50 charged or accepted for the registration of applicants for employees or 51 employment. 52 1-a. Fee refund. An employment agency who has charged or accepted a 53 fee or other consideration for classes "A" and "A-1" employment without 54 a contract prior to October first, two thousand sixteen, shall refund 55 the full amount to the job applicant by November first, two thousand 56 seventeen, if: (a) such fee or consideration did not lead to the jobA. 3702--A 7 1 applicant obtaining employment through the employment agency; or (b) the 2 fee or consideration was not applied to the job applicant's account for 3 services rendered by the employment agency. 4 3. Deposits, advance fees. Notwithstanding any other provisions of 5 this section, an employment agency [may] shall not require or accept a 6 deposit or advance fee from any applicant [except an applicant for class7"A" or class "A1" employment, and only to the extent of the maximum fees8hereinafter provided. Such deposit or advance fee shall be offset9against any fee charged or accepted when such employment is obtained.10Any excess above the lawful fee shall be returned without demand there-11for, immediately after the employment agency has been notified that such12employment has been obtained; and all of such deposit or advance fee13shall be returned immediately upon demand therefor, if at the time of14the demand such employment has not been obtained]. Any deposit or 15 advance fee collected by an employment agency prior to October first, 16 two thousand sixteen, must be refunded to the applicant by November 17 first, two thousand seventeen, if: (a) such deposit or advance fee did 18 not lead to the job applicant obtaining employment through the employ- 19 ment agency or (b) the deposit or advance fee was not applied to the job 20 applicant's account for services rendered by the employment agency. 21 § 7. Subdivision 2 of section 186 of the general business law, as 22 amended by chapter 1010 of the laws of 1960, is amended to read as 23 follows: 24 2. Failure to report: If a job applicant accepts employment and there- 25 after fails to report for work, the gross fee charged to such applicant 26 shall not exceed twenty-five per cent of the maximum fee allowed by 27 section one hundred eighty-five of this article[, provided however, if28the applicant remains with his same employer, the fee shall not exceed29fifty per cent]. If a job applicant accepts employment and fails to 30 report for work, no fee shall be charged to the employer. 31 § 8. Subdivision 3 of section 187 of the general business law, as 32 added by chapter 893 of the laws of 1958, is amended to read as follows: 33 (3) Advertise in newspapers or otherwise, or use letterheads or 34 receipts or other written or printed matter, unless such advertising or 35 other matter contains the name and address of the employment agency 36 [and] the word "agency", and the agency's license number. 37 § 9. Section 189 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 38 479 of the laws of 1963, subdivisions 1 and 2 as amended by chapter 721 39 of the laws of 2004, subdivisions 4 and 5 as amended by chapter 632 of 40 the laws of 1975, is amended to read as follows: 41 § 189. Enforcement of provisions of this article. 1. This article, 42 article nineteen-B of the labor law and sections 37.01, 37.03 and 37.05 43 of the arts and cultural affairs law shall be enforced by the commis- 44 sioner of labor, except that in the city of New York this article and 45 such sections shall be enforced by the commissioner of consumer affairs 46 of such city. In addition to the powers of the commissioner, the attor- 47 ney general shall have the power to enforce this article; such powers 48 include, but are not limited to, actions to restrain or enjoin such 49 violation. Nothing in this section shall in any way limit the rights or 50 remedies which are otherwise available to a person under any other law. 51 2. To effectuate the purposes of this article, article nineteen-B of 52 the labor law and sections 37.01, 37.03 and 37.05 of the arts and 53 cultural affairs law, the commissioner or any duly authorized agent or 54 inspector designated by such commissioner, shall have authority to 55 inspect [the premises, registers, contract forms, receipt books, appli-56cation forms, referral forms, reference forms, reference reports andA. 3702--A 8 1financial records of fees charged and refunds made of each employment2agency, which are essential to the operation of such agency, and of each3applicant for an employment agency license, as frequently as necessary4to ensure compliance with this article and such sections; but in] 5 employment agencies and applicants for an employment agency license as 6 frequently as necessary to ensure compliance with this article. The 7 following shall be subject to inspection: the premises; registers; 8 contracts signed by job applicants; statements of terms and conditions; 9 receipts; application forms; referral forms; bona fide orders from 10 prospective employers; written notifications from employers required by 11 section one hundred eighty-seven of this article; reference forms; 12 reference reports; records of fees charged; records of refunds made; and 13 any other record that an employment agency must maintain pursuant to 14 this article. In no event shall any employment agency be inspected less 15 frequently than once every eighteen months. Inspections may consist of 16 in-person visits to employment agencies. The commissioner shall also 17 have authority to subpoena records and witnesses or otherwise to conduct 18 investigations of any employer or other person where he or she has 19 reasonable grounds for believing that such employer or person is violat- 20 ing or has conspired or is conspiring with an employment agency to 21 violate this article or such sections. 22 3. To effectuate the purposes of this article, the commissioner may 23 make reasonable administrative rules within the standards set in this 24 article. Before such rules shall be issued, the commissioner shall 25 conduct a public hearing, giving due notice thereof to all interested 26 parties. No rule shall become effective until fifteen days after it has 27 been filed in the office of the department of state, if it is a rule of 28 the industrial commissioner, or in the office of the clerk of the city 29 of New York, if it is a rule of the commissioner of licenses of such 30 city, and copies thereof shall be furnished to all employment agencies 31 affected at least fifteen days prior to the effective date of such rule. 32 4. Complaints against any such licensed or unlicensed person [shall] 33 may be made orally or in writing to the commissioner, or be sent in an 34 affidavit form without appearing in person, and may be made by recog- 35 nized employment agencies, trade associations, or others. The commis- 36 sioner may hold a hearing on a complaint with the powers provided by 37 section one hundred seventy-four of this article. If a hearing is held, 38 reasonable notice thereof, not less than five days, shall be given in 39 writing to said [licensed] person by serving upon the [licensed] person 40 either personally, by mail, or by leaving the same with the person in 41 charge of his office, a concise statement of the facts constituting the 42 complaint, and the hearing shall commence before the commissioner with 43 reasonable speed but in no event later than two weeks from the date of 44 the filing of the complaint. The commissioner when investigating any 45 matters pertaining to the granting, issuing, transferring, renewing, 46 revoking, suspending or cancelling of any license is authorized in his 47 discretion to take such testimony as may be necessary on which to base 48 official action. When taking such testimony he may subpoena witnesses 49 and also direct the production before him of necessary and material 50 books and papers. A daily calendar of all hearings shall be kept by the 51 commissioner and shall be posted in a conspicuous place in his public 52 office for at least one day before the date of such hearings. The 53 commissioner shall render his decision within thirty days from the time 54 the matter is finally submitted to him. The commissioner shall keep a 55 record of all such complaints and hearings. In addition to the powersA. 3702--A 9 1 of the commissioner, the attorney general may bring an action against 2 anyone who is alleged to have violated this article. 3 5. [Following such hearing if it has been shown] Upon a finding that 4 the licensed person or his agent, employee or anyone acting on his 5 behalf is guilty of violating any provision of this article or is not a 6 person of good character and responsibility, the commissioner may 7 suspend or revoke the license of such licensed person [and/or levy a8fine against such licensed person for each violation not to exceed five9hundred dollars]. Any employment agency found to have violated any 10 provision of this article shall be subject, for the first offense, to a 11 civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars per violation, and, for 12 each subsequent offense within six years of such previous offense, to a 13 civil penalty, not to exceed five thousand dollars per violation. If the 14 person subject to this article fails to pay the damages, fines, attor- 15 ney's fees, costs, or penalties awarded, the amount awarded may be 16 satisfied out of the bond amount required by this article. Whenever such 17 commissioner shall suspend or revoke the license of any employment agen- 18 cy, or shall levy a fine against [such] any agency, said determination 19 shall be subject to judicial review in proceedings brought pursuant to 20 article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules. Whenever 21 [such] an employment agency's license is revoked, another license or 22 agency manager permit shall not be issued within three years from the 23 date of such revocation to said licensed person or his agency manager or 24 to any person with whom the licensee has been associated in the business 25 of furnishing employment or engagements. Deputy commissioners, or other 26 officials designated to act on behalf of the commissioner, may conduct 27 hearings and act upon applications for licenses, and revoke or suspend 28 such licenses, or levy fines against an employment agency. 29 6. If any person uses any untrue or misleading statement, information, 30 or advertisement to sell its employment agency services or fails to 31 comply with the applicable provisions of this article, or the contract 32 does not comply with the applicable provisions of this article, then the 33 contract shall be void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy. 34 7. Any person aggrieved by a violation of this article may bring a 35 civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against any employment 36 agency or persons alleged to have violated the provisions of this arti- 37 cle. The court shall have jurisdiction to restrain violations of this 38 section and to order all appropriate relief, including enjoining the 39 conduct of any person or employment agency; ordering payment of damages, 40 costs and reasonable attorneys' fees to the aggrieved individual by the 41 person or entity found to be in violation of this article. 42 8. The remedies provided in this article are not exclusive and shall 43 be in addition to any other remedies or procedures provided in any other 44 law. 45 9. If any provisions of this article or the application thereof to any 46 person or circumstances is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the 47 article and the application of that provision to other persons and 48 circumstances shall not be affected thereby. 49 10. If an employment agency fails to maintain records as required 50 under this article, the credible testimony of an applicant shall form 51 the proper basis for the calculation of unpaid wages and/or unlawful 52 fees. 53 § 10. Section 190 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 54 632 of the laws of 1975, is amended to read as follows: 55 § 190. Penalties for violations. Any person who violates and the offi- 56 cers of a corporation and stockholders holding ten percent or more ofA. 3702--A 10 1 the stock of a corporation which is not publicly traded, who knowingly 2 permit the corporation to violate sections one hundred seventy-two, one 3 hundred seventy-three, one hundred seventy-six, one hundred eighty-four, 4 one hundred eighty-four-a, one hundred eighty-five, one hundred eighty- 5 five-a, one hundred eighty-six, or one hundred eighty-seven of this 6 article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be 7 subject to a fine not to exceed [one thousand] two thousand five hundred 8 dollars per violation, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or 9 both, by any court of competent jurisdiction. The violation of any other 10 provision of this article shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed 11 [one] five hundred dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty 12 days. Criminal proceedings based upon violations of these sections shall 13 be instituted by the commissioner, the attorney general, or a district 14 attorney and may be instituted by any persons aggrieved by such 15 violations. 16 § 11. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 195 17 to read as follows: 18 § 195. Protection from retaliation. It shall be unlawful for any 19 employment agency to retaliate or discriminate against any person 20 because he or she has opposed any practice or practices forbidden under 21 this article or because that person has filed a complaint, testified or 22 assisted in any proceeding under this article. 23 § 12. This act shall take effect immediately.